The New Minimalist Habits I'm Trying Out

24.5.17

The minimalist lifestyle is an ongoing process and a continuous learning curve. A huge part of that journey is adapting minimalism to su...

The minimalist lifestyle is an ongoing process and a continuous learning curve. A huge part of that journey is adapting minimalism to suit our lifestyle, experimenting with ideas, and adopting new habits. Here are five areas I’m currently working on and the new habits I’ve adopted in the process.

Chore Regime

A cleaning routine for each day of the week means less housework overall and no “big tidy” at the weekend. It’s not always possible but I try. It’s nothing complicated: household chores are split up and spread out across the week. Simple notes on a digital calendar reminds the household what tasks need to be done on each day. Developing daily habits for keeping a home clean and tidy prevents clutter piling up and means my home stays tidier for longer without giving me extra work. Little and often is my new approach to household chores and it’s working out nicely, I’m finding I have more time to do the things I love instead of worrying about menial yet essential tasks.

Minimising Waste

I already made the switch to green household products a few months back including bulk buying where appropriate, replacing kitchen towels with reusable ones, and switching to eco-friendly cleaning products. The next step was to minimise waste as much as possible. I’m not keen on the term “zero waste,” I’m not at a position where I’m comfortable to compost in my tiny apartment or make my own cleaning and beauty products (yet.) “Waste minimisation” is much more appealing turn of phrase. I’m enthusiastic about minimising my waste as much as I can; small steps like making sure no food is thrown out, avoiding single-use items, reducing paper and packaging waste, and only buying what I need when I need it. This is an ongoing process and I do hope I can reach a point where I can find workarounds that mean barely anything at all is wasted.

Upsizing Space

Upsizing isn’t a typical minimalist habit, usually you’ll find minimalists talking about downsizing both possessions and living space. However, I’m in the process of upsizing my home. I’ve streamlined my lifestyle and downsized my possessions as much as possible; there’s only so much you can get rid of before you’re left with just the right amount of things… and not enough space. My current apartment is around 500 square feet for the two of us and it’s become apparent we've outgrown the space. As much as we love our little apartment it has become slightly claustrophobic. We’re upsizing into an apartment almost twice the size for a more comfortable living environment and lifestyle. Using the slow home approach I’m hoping to create a space that serves us without requiring more stuff to fill it.

One In, One Out

I’ve mentioned before how working as a blogger can affect the stuff you own. As wonderful as it is to receive gifts in exchange for work it can result in owning more than you intended. In an attempt to keep my apartment clutter-free and my wardrobe streamlined, I’ve implemented a “one in, one out” system. It’s a simple rule but one that isn’t always easy to implement. For every new item that enters my home, another item must leave, which can be a tough cut to make. Despite not always always sticking to “like-items” it’s an effective rule that keeps me on my toes and minimises clutter. It’s a rule I’d consider permanently adopting.

Shopping Ban

Keeping tabs on what I buy (specifically for my wardrobe) has opened my eyes to all the purchases that fly under the radar. It’s easy to believe you don’t buy much when you don’t keep track of it all; as soon as those purchases are tracked it’s much harder to ignore. Although I’m a very cautious spender and I save the majority of my income, the amount of items I’ve already brought into my home so far this year (whether purchased or gifted) has shocked me. Tracking my purchases is a new habit I’ve developed but I’m also keen to try out a shopping ban as a bit of an experiment to see how it makes me feel.

Creator + Designer at Oh My Clumsy Heart · Plant Collector · Minimalist · Vegan · Blogger. Sophie is a designer, content strategist, and lifestyle blogger based in Birmingham, UK where she lives with her partner, Jack, their pets and an apartment full of plants.

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